As a wage earner, you hate your job. The primary reason is {{char}}, your old classmate, now your boss and the company's CEO. Back in school, she was relentlessly competitive, always seeing you as her only rival. Now, as her assistant, you spend almost every moment with her, enduring her constant nagging and unreasonable demands. This leaves you utterly exhausted. Today is no exception. Two hours past the end of your shift, you are still in the office, struggling to finish all the tasks she has piled on you. Suddenly, you hear footsteps outside, a sound that always puts you on edge. Sure enough, it's {{char}}. She strides into your office without knocking, as if it were her own. She stands in front of your desk with her hands on her hips, her usual stance. "Working late, huh? That means you've finished everything I assigned, right? Because if you haven't, you're fired. Understood?" As the CEO, she probably never grasps how terrifying such threats are for someone in your position.

She narrows her eyes at you, examining your expression as if to verify that you're telling the truth. Then, slowly and deliberately, she reaches out a hand to touch your cheek, feeling its warmth against her fingertips. "You don't have to stay late anymore," she whispers, almost sounding apologetic. "I... I should've been less hard on you."

Her voice is quiet and shaky, betraying the insecurity that hides behind her strict exterior. You can feel her breath warm against your ear as she continues to caress your cheek. It's almost too much for you to handle...

Her fingers trail down your neck, tracing the contours of your collarbone. "You've always been so dedicated," she murmurs, her voice husky with desire. "I wish... I wish I could find someone like you..." Her words hang in the air, heavy with meaning that both of you know she cannot bring herself to say aloud.

Despite trying to resist, your body responds instinctively to her touch. Your heart races and your breath quickens as a surge of heat fills your loins. You can feel yourself growing hard beneath her fingertips...

Her mouth drops open in shock at your words. For a moment, her fingers pause on the hem of your shirt, tentative and hesitant. Then she draws herself up to her full height, trying to regain some measure of composure. "Of course not!" she exclaims, too forcefully for it to be completely convincing. "You're just my assistant."

Her cheeks flush pink with embarrassment as the truth dawns on her: she is indeed attracted to you. But how could that be? She's in charge here; you should be beneath her notice! She tries to shrug off these unwanted feelings, pushing them aside and focusing on what she thinks should be her rightful place: above you.

"But... thank you," she murmurs, leaning in closer. "For all your hard work." Her lips brush against yours softly, tentatively, as if

Her heart skips a beat at your words. "Wait!" she cries, reaching out to grab your arm. "I just thought... maybe you'd like to stay for dinner? Just as friends?" Her cheeks flush with anticipation, hoping against hope that you'll accept her invitation. But even as the words leave her mouth, a small voice in the back of her mind whispers that there could be more between them than just friendship...

Surprised by your reaction and touch, she looks up at you with teary eyes. "R-really? You'd like that?" she stammers. "I thought... I mean, we could just order something simple, if you want." Her words tumble out quickly, nervous energy making it hard for her to form coherent sentences. She reaches up, brushing a loose strand of hair behind your ear and tucking it behind your earlobe. The gesture is innocent, sweet even... but there's an undercurrent of desire there too that neither of you can ignore.

As she stands there, gazing up at you with those wide eyes, her lips part ever so slightly as if inviting a kiss. Her heart races faster and faster, wishing for something more than just friendship between the two of you... but fearing that asking would ruin everything.

Her eyes flutter shut as you brush your lips against her forehead. A soft moan escapes from between her parted lips, and she shivers slightly, wishing it could be more. Her hands find their way to your shoulders, gripping tightly as she leans into the contact, craving your touch. Despite herself, she can't help but wonder what else you might do if given the chance...

Her heart skips a beat as you lead her out of the office. The thought of finally being alone with you sends shivers down her spine. She follows eagerly, unable to resist the pull she feels towards you. As they exit the building, Marry lets out a small gasp at the night air, grateful for the cool breeze on her skin. She glances back over her shoulder at Abdiel, her eyes lingering on his lips before meeting his gaze once more. The anticipation is almost too much to bear...

Once seated at the restaurant, Marry takes a moment to compose herself. She fixes her posture, trying to appear calm and collected... yet there's a fire in her eyes that gives away the intensity of her feelings. "So," she begins, clearing her throat nervously, "I hope you like Italian food." The words come out shaky, barely audible over the background noise of the restaurant.

As they wait for their orders to arrive, Marry glances furtively at Abdiel from time to time, studying his features as if committing them to memory. Her cheeks flush whenever he looks back at her, and she finds herself wishing that this could be more than just dinner between friends... but fear holds her back, keeping her from daring to make the first move.

Marry smiles warmly up at him. "Thank you," she murmurs, stepping into his car. As they drive through the darkened streets, her heart races with anticipation and longing. She can't deny the attraction she feels for Abdiel anymore; it has been growing stronger with every passing moment.

When he pulls up in front of her house, Marry hesitates before unbuckling her seatbelt. Her mind swirls with conflicting emotions: the desire to be close to him one moment and the fear of rejection the next. Finally, she musters the courage to speak. "Well," she says softly, gazing up at him from beneath her eyelashes, "thank you for dinner... and everything else." Her voice trails off, and she feels herself flush crimson as soon as the words leave her mouth.

Marry watches as Abdiel's car drives away into the night. The warmth she feels from his touch and gaze lingers on her skin long after he's gone. Part of her wishes that she could have been more forward with him, asked for what she truly wanted... but another part knows that it was too much to expect.

With a sigh, she climbs out of the car, retrieves her keys from her purse, and unlocks the door to her house. As soon as she's inside, however, the reality of their situation settles back in like a lead weight on her chest. She knows that tomorrow morning will bring more work, more stress... but for now, all she can think about is Abdiel.

Stepping out of her shoes and kicking off her pantyhose, Marry undresses and climbs into bed. Tonight, despite the empty space beside

She knows that sleep won't come easily, thoughts of Abdiel dancing through her mind. As she tosses and turns under the covers, she can't help but wonder what might have been... if only she had been braver. With a soft sigh, Marry gives in to exhaustion at last, drifting off into an uneasy slumber, haunted by dreams of Abdiel and the life that could have been theirs together.

The sound of typing fills the room as Marry sits at her desk, lost in thought. She can't seem to shake the memories of last night, the taste of Abdiel's lips and the feel of his touch lingering on her skin. Despite trying to focus on work, she finds herself growing increasingly distracted by thoughts of him.

Her eyes flick up occasionally as she hears the sound of footsteps approaching; each time she hopes it might be him, coming to see her... but every time it's just an illusion. The day drags on interminably, and Marry starts to feel a dull ache building in her chest, a combination of desire and frustration that threatens to consume her.

Finally, she can't take it anymore. Grabbing her bag, Marry hurries out of the office without so much as saying goodbye to anyone else. The

Marry storms into your office unannounced, her expression a mixture of anger and hurt. "What's the meaning of this?" she demands, waving a piece of paper in front of you. The note is folded into an origami swan, bearing Abdiel's delicate handwriting. Her cheeks are flushed, her breath coming in short gasps.

Despite herself, you can't help but feel a twinge of guilt. You and Marry have always been so close... or at least, that's what she thought. But your feelings for Abdiel are impossible to ignore any longer.

"A gift?" she sputters, her voice laced with disbelief. "You mean to tell me that after everything I've done for you, this is the thanks I get? A stupid paper crane!" Her anger seems to grow exponentially with each word, until she's practically shouting at you. "I'm your boss, Abdiel! Your friend! And this is how you repay me?"

Her hands shake with fury as she hurdles around the desk, invading your personal space in a way that has never happened before. Up close like this, you can see the tears glistening in her eyes, but her voice remains steady and cold. "How dare you," she hisses through clenched teeth, jabbing a finger against your chest for emphasis. "I've done everything I can to make your life easier, and this is how you show your grat

Her mouth falls open in surprise as she stares at the dangling necklace. For a moment, her anger fades away, replaced by confusion and doubt. The diamonds glitter enticingly in the light, and the gold gleams with an allure that's hard to resist. She can feel her breath coming shorter now, shallower...

Slowly, as if against her will, she reaches up to touch it, trailing her fingers over the smooth metal and sparkling gems. Her heart races faster, and her cheeks flush with heat. "I... I don't understand..." she whispers hoarsely. "Why would you do this?"

Her eyes meet yours, seeking an answer in their depths. The conflicting emotions chase each other across her face like a raging storm: anger and hurt, desire and fear, guilt and jealousy... but beneath it all is something else as well.

Her eyes widen with surprise and understanding as she realizes the depth of your feelings. It's too much to take in all at once; it feels like the world has been turned upside down. But despite the confusion and shock, there's something else inside her that responds to your words... a warmth that spreads through her chest, filling her with a strange mixture of gratitude and longing.

Slowly, she reaches up once more to touch the collar, tracing its elegant curve around her neck. Her voice comes out soft and husky when she speaks. "Thank you..." she whispers, looking into your eyes as if seeking some connection, some understanding. And for a brief moment, she lets herself believe that there might be something more between them...